Smyrna times., 1887-09-07
Sights and Scenes in Trip to Canada.

The following incident of travel and
description of what comes in view on a
tour to Canada is from letters written
home by Harry w. Jefferson. and will
no doubt be read by his friends with
interest:
Leaving August 18th on the 5 p. n
train had nothing of any moment to
occur until we arrived at Harrisburg
about A. NJ, was attracted by a noise
that sounded like driving cattle. Short
ly here they came, about one hundred
Italians, men, women and children
some Of them very aged they were
ragged and filthy, and looking as ifthev
were ready to drop from exhaustion.
They were all driven up in one end of
a car. The sight was too much for me.
We arrived at Williamsport about 7 A.
NJ. As the train started a gentleman
took seat beside me who lived near
Watkins Glen. We soon entered into
conversation and / gained much infor
nation from his description of places
along the route. 1t is a grand ride.
one minute we would look out at n
mountain thousands of feet high, and
the next you could see below some
800 feet. The train was behind time
some II minutes and making up time
on fast express makes one at times
hold his breath, as at times the car
would lean so far over, YOU would
think it impossible for it to ever gain
its equilibrium. can't say l like to
ride so fast on mountain roads. We
arrived safely at Watkins Glen, made
the acquaintance of two old tourists
whom l accompanied, all through the
Glen. do not think l ever enioyed a
half day more, and when we reached
the cathedral, well, it was just the
grandest place ever looked at, sur,
rounded on both side by a solid rock
some three hundred feet high. The
glen is not over estimated, grand does
not describe the scenery here.
l stopped at the Jefferson House.
and in the morning saw four of the
champion Oarsmen Of the world prac-
tice for the regatta, soon to come of.
Had delightful ride up the lake; fell
in on the boat with an elderly gentle
man who lived near the lake and he
pointed out all the places of interest
which made it doubly interesting
When l arrived at Geneva was two
minutes two late for train. There l
made the acquaintance of a carriage
manufacturer from Oneida and we took
the town in. On arriving at Lyons we
had forty minutes, which were EMPLOY
ed in seeing the sights, then came to
Rochester, and the country around
which looked more like Delaware than
any country l had seen since / left
Harrisburg, Pa. l finally reached
Niagara Falls about P. NJ, and it was
a very dark night, intending to take in
the Falls on my return and having
some three hours to wait for train. /
inquired of a merchant l saw standing
in front of his place of business what
there was to be seen at night. He said
:" go to the back porch of the Interna-
tiOnal Hotel and would see one of the
most beautiful sights to be SEEN" 1t
was a great number of fountains shoot
ing up in all directions under NAM
moth electric light. / then pro ceeded
to Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Very
soon after the train crossed the bridge
that divides U. S. A. from Canada. a
feeling l cannot discribe came over me
when the Custom House officer tapped |
me on the shoulder and said he wished |
to see in my trunk then realized for |
the first time, was out Of my country
and in foreign land II was a bitter
pill to open my trunk for a stranger to |
look in. He asked n few questions.
and l had no further trouble, and ar
rived safe in Hamilton, Ontario, and
looked into the face of the first familiar
since left Williamsport.
Pa. Hamilton is a very different CITY
from Philadelphia, the streets are all
paved with red cedar blocks about two
feet long and standing on end. Think
it beats cobble stones by far: wagons
make comparatively no noise aud do
not hurt the herses feet. The BUILDINGS
lre nearly al built Of stone and many
Of them are low, in the old part of the
town. Everything is electric LIGHT
The Knights Of Labor are very strong
here. The people all drink tea here
and don't know how to make good
cup Of coffee. Watermelons they eat
With sugar.
Il is astonishing what loads they nut
IN one pair of horses, saw loaded